This linen skirt has been in the dyepot several times since it was made. The link shows the original undyed colour of the linen.

The lines and dots were made by painting with egg. The final dye was made from dock leaves taken from plants that were seeding. It gives a much deeper yellow than leaves taken earlier in the season but I think the build up of the various dyes helps too.

I’m planning to stitch along the lines with variegated silk threads. It will be a long time before I finish this skirt.

Tunic Dyed with Sage

This tunic was made from a sheet and has undergone several transformations. I tried printing with sage leaves and loved the yellow colour but it came out in blobs rather than leaf shapes. That’s what encouraged me to dye the whole thing with sage. It’s been in the dye pot in the greenhouse for six days which is quite a short time for solar dyeing here, but the weather has been exceptionally hot.

This is it rinsed in cold water and hanging in the shade; once dry, I will put it away for a week or two before washing it (gently!). I’ve noticed that the dye stays in better if the fabric gets a good rest between each stage.

The marks on the tunic were made by the copper pipes coming out of the hot water tank. Originally accidental, I liked them, so I made some more.

Some garden dyed samples

These pieces of cotton fabric were originally white and were solar dyed as follows:

Top left used dock leaves from seeding plants.

Top right is from dock leaves pre seeding.

Bottom left is Earl Grey tea.

Bottom right is dandelion flowers. I was suprised by this as they produced a brownish shade on the skirt and a very brown shade on the painted parts of it.

If you’re interested in mordants, some pieces of fabric have been treated with alum but most have been soaked in dilute (slightly sour) milk and washed in washing soda before dyeing. They have all been left to dry between each stage and some have been stored for several weeks. Alum is the only “normal” mordant I use. The others worry me somewhat and I prefer milk followed by washing soda.

Pieces of old sheet have picked up the dye really well without me adding any mordant. I think that is because of the number of times the sheet has been washed before it became part of my stash. I think there’s a build up of washing soda or something similar.

If you are interested in more detail, please let me know. I will do my best to answer any questions. All these are experiments inspired by India Flint. I think it will take years before I will be able to call myself a dyer but I’m enjoying the journey.

I have a lot of linen scraps, some of them quite large – most of my summer clothes are made from linen or linen/cotton. The pale blue in the middle is the remains of a tablecloth I dyed in natural indigo a few years ago. The lavender is leftover from my first 1930s skirt. I’ve incorporated some pieces from an old skirt too.

The fastenings are buttoned pleats – they open up to make enough space to get in and out of the skirt. It’s a type of fastening I’ve been experimenting with recently. This skirt has a similar fastening. I like that I don’t have to have openings at the side.

The buttons have all been rescued from old clothes. I just can’t let a good button go to waste.

I’m joining lots of makers over at Scrap Happy June. Why not pop over and see what other people have been making?

The quilts each measure approximately 11.25inches x 8.25 inches. This size of quilt has become a bit of an obsession of mine. They get put into an envelope and sold in a sort of Quilt Lucky Dip to raise funds for the Quilt Association.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

It’s quite a hard size because it’s not square – normal block patterns don’t work but it gives me the freedom to try out ideas. If they work I give them to the Quilt Association, otherwise they’re scrapped.

These two are made from the remains of the batik jellyroll I used to make this skirt.

I’ve made a couple more mini quilts but one isn’t quite right yet so I’ll save them for another day.

I was given scraps of supersoft coloured suede and had the idea I’d like little pouches (the bottoms are about 2 inch diameter), the sort of thing I’d imagine a Medieval woman putting her money in or a travelling herbalist keeping her most special herbs in. I’ve used them as purses and for giving little gifts, but I’d like to have one with tiny special items inside – maybe pretty stones.

The brown leather was fairly damaged when I got it but I just wanted something to try so it didn’t matter too much. The bag is made with three identical shapes as you can see from its bottom. It’s based on a 16th century pattern – not commercially available so far as I know and it was drawn on a bit of brown paper for me.

I added the strap: I think the original might have been attached to a belt. I machine sewed using a leather needle and extra strong thread.

I tried to add metal eyelets to the brown leather but I just couldn’t get them to attach properly. I’ve never used metal eyelets before so I have no idea why they didn’t work. I will try again using denim to see if it’s my technique or the leather.

I used an awl to make the holes for the draawstring. I think a leather punch might be better so I’ll look for one of those.

I would like to learn lots more about leatherwork. Making shoes would be lovely. Some of you might remember these shoes I made in a beginners’ workshop at Green Shoes.

Shoes made with lots of help

The shoes are still in use five years later, although I have had them resoled so they’re not quite so me made as they were.

I have used the little pouches and although the brown pouch is not as elegant as I’d like because my skills are pretty basic, I think I’ll want to use that too.

I have been watching Carolyn’s shoemaking for her Year of Handmade and thinking I should have another go. Maybe I will.

This is a sort of scrap quilt. It includes bits of my old velvet dress, my skirt and my trousers. All of them probably date from the 1990s. It also includes other people’s scraps both donated and bought. Some of the scraps are in the form of long strips, so there should be plenty left for small projects.

The back used up what was left of my kitchen curtain fabric after I’d made the curtains.

The quilt is large throw size and strip pieced. I’m using some fancy variegated silk thread to add some extra quilting.

Random bits & pieces made into dog blankets. No, male dogs don’t mind pink!
I’ve been using up as much as possible this month : I’d like more space in my cupboard and prefer not to have so many bits & pieces hanging around.

These are A4size quilts made for a lucky dip at The Quilt Association. The quilts go into an envelope and visitors pay a small fee to choose one – no way of knowing what you will get. It’s a fun way of raising funds.
The scraps are from my mother-in-law’s 85th birthday quilt. There are some strips left to make fabric pots.

Pants in progress, using the remaining fabric from the 1930s dress before it was dyed lavender.
I’m joining Scrap Happy May over at Tall Tales from Chiconia – why not go over & take a look at what the others are doing?
Thanks for dropping by
Norma x
PS I haven’t forgotten about my other sewing – 1930s and oneyearoneoutfit. There’s a lot going on and I’ll post very soon. X